A long time ago, when I was a young thing up in Aroostook County, men needed warm socks to work in the woods in the wood-cutting business, or on the farm, and to wear hunting. They were knit in Aran weight wool using needles that were much smaller than is usually used, making the socks practically bulletproof. At the least, they would keep out the cold.

(So thick they stand up on their own!)

Fall's arrival triggered sock knitting among the women, and the yarn they used was worsted wool which actually came from Canada (likely McCausland's Woolen Mills in Prince Edward Island) in natural off white for the foot, with a dyed color, probably red or green, for the leg. The dyed colors would show when worn, and they were more expensive and thus treasured more. The foot, which was hidden in the boot and which wore out more quickly, was knitted in the cheaper natural yarn, and was removed several times over the course of the sock's life as it wore out from wear.

The pattern was memorized and rarely written down. That's how I learned it ... but I wrote down the pattern for a friend many years ago, and it's a good thing too, because I can't remember it now. It's a men's sock pattern, knit very tightly with size four needles and heavy Aran-weight wool to make socks that are nearly bullet proof. I have knit it in one color of Bartlettyarn.

Gauge:

Directions:

Divide work so that 32 stitches are on one needle (heel needle), and 11 stitches each are on two needles.

Work double heel as follows:

Row 1: Slip 1, purl to end.

Row 2: Slip 1, *K1, sl1* to last stitch, k1.

Work rows 1 and 2 for 2.25". Repeat Row 1.

Turn heel:

Row 1: K 23 sts, k2tog, turn.

Row 2: P 15, p2tog, turn.

Row 3: K 15, k2tog, turn.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until 16 stitches are left. End having completed a purl row (Row 2). Knit one row.

Join work into a round again:

With heel needle, pick up 17 stitches along the edge of the heel flap (needle 1). Work k2, p1 across the instep (needle 2). Pick up 16 sts along the other side of the heel flap and knit 8 stitches from the heel needle (needle 3). (25, 22, 24 stitches on three needles, a total of 71 sts).

Actually I haven't had pumpkin spice anything yet, but I will. Eventually. I am thinking about making pumpkin bread, though.

I knit these charming little mitts and they came out nice:

Aren't they wicked cunnin'? I love them.

The pink lace shawl knitalong is going well, and this is how for I got by the end of August:

It's about 25% done. The nupps are getting easier. I really like how this knitalong is done slowly, two rows a day, for five days a week. People can knit the two rows a day and have the weekend off, or do the ten rows all at once over the weekend. Nifty.

Happy September, and happy back to school if it applies. It's a wonderful time of year.